Letter-file



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1. A. L. GOLTON.

LETTER FILE. No. 331,185. Patented Nov. 24, 1885 WI??? 558 as I ,l'zzl/ gzzfaz' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. L. OOLTON. LETTER FILE. \No. 331,185. Patented Nov. 24, 1885.

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ARTHUR L. COLTON, .OF MILWAUKEE, IVISOONSIN.

LETTER-"FILE.

i PECIFICATIUN forming part of Letters Patent No.33l,185, dated November 24:, 1885.

Application filed February 24, 1885. Serial No.156,$30. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. CoLToN, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee, and in the State of Wisconsin, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter- Files; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to letter-files; and it consists in certain peculiarities of construction, all as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved file in its case, with the clamping device down. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central vertical section of the same with the clamping device raised. Fig. 3 is a plan view A is the case or box of my file, and this is centrally cut away at the back to receive the housing B, consisting of an inner or front plate, I), which is extended back over the top of the out-away portion of the case, forming the top plate,b, and brought down a short distance, as at b, on the back of the case. The said plate I) b is provided with two slots, 6 12 and the central part of the top plate, I), between these slots is supported by means of the rear extension, b of said plate. WVithin the cut-away portion of the back of the case,protected by the housing 13, are two plates, 0 0, one on each side, which have right-angled flanges c 0, extending from the bottom to nearly the top of said plates, and extending inwardthat is, toward each other-as shown in Fig. 3, to serve as guides for the rear part, d, of the slide 1), as hereinafter explained. Above these flanges c the plates 0 are bent around to form bearings 0 for the journals 6 of the operating-levers E of the clamping device, and while the flanges c are set forward far enough within the cut-away portion of the back of the case so that the rear plate, d, of the slide may be flush with the rear of said case, the rear part of the bearings a will extend as far back as the space will permit, (or

practically as far back as the said plate (1,) in order to give all possible leverage to thelevers E of the clamping device. The bottom plate of the-slide D is cut out at each side, as shown in Fig. 3, to receive the guides c c, and in front of these points the said plate is provided with two perforated lugs, d d, to receive the double crank arm D, the cranked ends of which, d d, are connected to the levers E E at a point forward in vertical line (when the levers E are raised) of the journals 6, to form links, and, being forward of the center of said levers, will enable the clamping device to be more easily pulled down when necessary. The housing 13 is completed by a rear plate B, having a vertical slot, bflwhich admits the shank of the screwbolt D (which screws into the slot D,) by means of which the slide is moved up or down to operate the clamping device, and which screw may be tightened at any point, so as to hold the plate B, plate d, and guides c c all firmly together, and hence to keep the slide D and the clamping device operated thereby at any desired posit-ion, either up or down, at will.

I .will next describe the construction of my clamping device. My levers E E are bent, as shown, at a right angle twice, each having the short arms pivoted, as described, by the journals e e, to the bearings c c of the plates 0 G,

within the housing B, and extending forward proper, as hereinafter explained.

I preferably provide my levers with two braces-one, E, between the short arms, and one, E between the long arms E E, near the front ends of said arms-and these braces may be attached to the lever-arms in any suitable way, as by rivets, solder, or otherwise. The clamping piece consists, primarily, of the rod F and oval frames G G, constructed preferably as follows: The rod F at one end is bent around near the center of the outer side of one of the oval frames G, and then outward through the hole 6 in the end of the long arm E of the lever on that side, and then back under the frame G and over again, its end being bent down snugly against the frame, all as shown in the detail View, Fig. 5, forming a triple loop, the central strand of which is the longest, and which forms the pivotal connection with the end of the lever-arm E. The other end of the rod F is secured in precisely the same way. The oval frames G G are not continuous, but have each a pair of stems, g g, from their inner sides, extending toward each other, each pair of stems straddling the rod F and meeting in the center, the said stems and rods being united together by any suitable means, such as solder, or by being flattened and provided with rivets, or by binding a wire or other covering around them, as most convenient or ornamental. The ovals are preferably so disposed that the ends G G of said frames are at a greater distance from the rod F than the ends G G and hence when the clamping-frame is raised the ends G G will maintain the lowest position, and therefore will first strike the letter-file, when the clamping-frame is again lowered near the rear ofthe case, and so will automatically be in proper position always to press down on the contents of the file.

- H represents the letter-file proper, formed of a number of sheets of paper or other suitable material, and suitably indexed along their front edges, as by alphabetical arrangement of letters or other devices, to indicate the nature of the letters, &c., to be deposited between said sheets. Near the rear edges of said sheets they are perforated with two holes, h h, which may be round or oblong, and which may be re-enforced or strengthened in any suitable manner, (as by cloth pasted on the paper sheets before perforating them, as indicated by dotted lines hh in Fig. 1.)

The letter-file H is secured to the case A in the following manner: The inner side of the back of the case is provided with two vertical square-edged grooves, a a, which are each fitted with two headed bolts or screws,a a,

jecting out from said grooves, so as to leave a space between the head of each screw and the groove equal to the thickness of the plates I I, which are each provided with two keyhole slots i i, and these plates I may be made either of cast metal, as in Figs. 1 to 4, or may be, stamped out of sheet-tin or other sheet metal, as in Fig. 6, as preferred. In the former case they would be cast with a perforated lug, V, at the top, to receive the split ring J and hook K; and in thelatterinstance,instead of a cast lug, a bit of the metal would be bent over in front with its end passed into a hole and clinched on the reverse side, the said metal piece forming a loop, 1, to hold the said ring J and hook K. From the base of each plate I a wire, I, extends out at right angles thereto, and then is itself bent at a right angle parallel with the plate I, and terminating in a hook or eye, 73, to receive the ring J after the sheets of the nicating with the grooves a a on each side at a height corresponding about with the shanks of the hooks, which affords a ready means of communication (as by the finger or a pencil, &c.)with the said hooks K. I may, if desire stamp. the part I out of the same body of sheet metalwith the plate Linstead of soldering or riveting a separate wire or piece thereto, as

shown, bending thepart I into the required form.

The operation of my device will be readily understood from the foregoing description of its construction.

A great advantage of my described clamping-frame consists in the two independent oval frames G G, as thereby commercial note and postal-cards may be built up in. independent piles under each frame G, and always be kept clamped down thereby, while letter-sheets of full size would of course extend under both frames G G, and thereby my present file is adapted to properly contain a larger amount of matter, always evenly pressed down by reason of said peculiar clamping device, than would be the case if it were not used.

If at any time I wish to transfer my file H and its contents to another case or place of deposit, I caudo so by releasing the hooks K K, raising the clamping-frame and taking the file H and itsplates and rods I I, &c.,out bodily,

and placing a similar but empty file H I I J with the case A. v

If desired, in place of the crank-rod D, ex-

tending between the lugs d d of the slide D,

I may utilize merely the crank ends d d of said rod as links,connecting. to said lugs d d the lever-arms E.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-- 4 1. In a letter-file, the combination of a case and a series of loose sheets secured thereto with a clamping device connected by links and pivots to a slide having vertical play within the back of the case, as set forth.

2. In a letter-file, the combination, wit-h the case and a series of loose sheets secured thereto, of a clamping device consisting of levercase having vertical grooves on the inner side of the back of said case, and a series of loose sheets held together by means of rods passing through perforations near the rear of said sheets, said rods being secured to plates adapted to slide within the grooves in the case-back, and fastening devices whereby said sheets, with their rods and plates, may be secured to the case or removed bodily therefrom, as set forth.

4. In a letter-file, the combination of the case A, centrally cut out at the back, and having loose sheets H, mounted on rods passing through perforations in said sheets, and connected to plates secured to said case, with the housing B, consisting of an inner or front plate extended back over the cut-away portion of the case, forming a top plate, I), and provided with slots I) through the upper part of the front plate and through the top plat e, and a rear plate, B, having central vertical slot b, vertical guide-plates O 0, one on each side of the cut-away portion of the case-back, and provided with right angled guidingflanges c c, slide D, with rear plate, d, adapted to engage with the flanges c, screw-bolt D the shank of which has vertical motion in the slot b", and which screws into the plate (2, and a clamping device having lever-arms which extend through the slots b and are pivoted to projections on the guideplates O and slide D, and which are adapted to be raised and lowered by the slide D, and to release or press down on the loose sheets H, and be secured in either position by the screw-bolt D substantially as set forth.

5. In a letter-file, the combination of the case A, provided with the vertical grooves a. a in the inner side of the case back, and retaining bolts a a, projecting from said grooves a, vertical plates I, having loops or lugs i on top and fitting within said grooves, and having key-hole slots 11 for engagement with said retaining-bolts, and rods I, connected to said plates I at the base, and terminating at top with hooks or eyes t", loose sheets H, having perforations h,whereby they are strung upon the rods 1, and rings J, connecting the hooks or eyes a" with loops or lugs on the upper end of the plates I, substantially as set forth.

6. In a letter-file, the combination of the case A, provided with the vertical grooves a a in the inner side of the case-back, and horizontal grooves (Ka communicating with the grooves a a, and retaining-bolts a a, projecting from said grooves a, vertical plates I, having loops or lugs i on top and fitting within said grooves, and having key-hole slots 2', for engagement with said retaining-bolts, and rods 1, connected to said plates I at the base, and

terminating at the top with hooks or eyes i, loose sheets H, having perforations h, whereby they are strung upon the rods I, rings J, connecting the hooks or eyes t" with the loops or lugs i and hooks K depending from the loops or lugs t and adapted to lock the plates I, after the same have been adjusted by means of the bolts a and slots 1, by interposing the free ends of said hooks around the shanks of the upper bolts, a, between the inner surface of the heads of said bolts and the outer surface of said plates I, substantially as set forth.

7. In a letter-file, the combination of the case A, centrally cut out at the back, and having loose sheets H, mounted on rods passing through perforations in said sheets, and connected to plates secured to said case, with the housing B, consisting of an inner or front plate extended back over the cut away portion of the ease, formf 11g a top plate, I), and provided with slots 1) through the upper part of the front plate and through the top plate, and a rear plate B, having central vertical slot I), vertical guide-plates G 0, one on each side of the cutaway portion of the case-baek, and pro vided with right-angled guiding-flanges c 0, and bearings'c a above said flanges, slide D, cut out at each side to receive the flanges c c, and having a rear plate, (I, the ends of which have vertical movement between the plate B and the rear surface of the flanges c c, and provided with perforated lugs (Z (V, screw-bolt D the shank of which has vertical motion. in the slot b, and which screws into the plate cl, a clamping device having lever-arms E E, eX- tending through the slots 6 and having journal ends 6 e, pivoted in the bearings c c, and double crank arm D, extending across the length of the slide D and through the lugs d (1 and having cranked ends dd, connected to the lever'arnis E E at a point forward of the pivotal points of the journals 0, substantially as and for the purposes set fort-h.

8. In a letter-file, the combination of the case A and sheets H,attached thereto, with a clam ping device consisting of the lever-arms E E, rod F, and oval frames G G, secured to said rod ll near the centers of the ovals, but with the greater length of said ovals near the rear of the file-case when closed, and near the bot tom of said case when the clamping device is raised, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of \Visconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR L. OOLTON.

Witnesses:

H. G. Unnnuwoon, H. J. FORSYTHE. 

